1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mold for use in the manufacture of solidified bodies (e.g., castings, molded plastic parts) obtained by cooling and solidifying a molten material such as a metal melt or a resin, and to a method of manufacturing such a mold. The invention further relates to a solidified body thus obtained and to a method of manufacturing such a solidified body.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a process such as mold casting, die casting, or the injection molding of plastic is carried out, a mold in accordance with the shape of the desired casting or molded plastic part is used. Because molds are generally expensive, there exists a desire to extend the life of the mold by enhancing, for example, the mold release properties and wear resistance. The interior surfaces (the surfaces which come into contact with the molten material) of a mold are thus often subjected to various types of surface treatment such as those described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-316800 (JP-A-2001-316800), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-363705 (JP-A-2002-363705), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-35917 (JP-A-2002-35917) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-105082 (JP-A-2008-105082).
However, such conventional surface treatment does not take into account such concerns as improving the flow properties and filling properties of the molten material within the mold, shortening the task time (cycle time), and achieving a solidification structure that is finer. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-318362 (JP-A-8-318362) teaches that by constructing a die casting mold of a plurality of bases having different thermal conductivities, the rate of solidification by the melt will vary from place to place within the mold, enabling directional solidification to be carried out. However, this is not due to surface treatment.